Chapter 7 – Official Business
"Peter, I want to adopt Aleena," Caleb declared.
"Yes, whatever you li-" Peter stopped abruptly, looking up from his paperwork. "You what?"
"I want to adopt Aleena," Caleb repeated.
"Caleb, um, isn't this a little sudden?" Peter questioned.
"No, I don't think so," responded Caleb. "I thought it over last night. While we were dancing, she kept looking at me with such trust and love. I can't let her down. If I can adopt her, then legally, Annis can't take her from us."
"Yes," Peter agreed. "I see what you are getting at, but Aleena still has family. You would need Anne's permission first."
Caleb waved an envelope. "I already thought of that. This is a letter for Anne to be sent off right away."
"Well, until we hear back from Anne, nothing in the legal process can be started," Peter reminded. "I will take your request into consideration. But are you sure this is the best thing for Aleena?"
"Yes," Caleb agreed. "Aleena will be safe from Annis and I will not let any harm come to her."
"Edmund might not agree to this, you know," Peter warned.
"I know," Caleb smiled. "And you might not either. But don't worry. Aleena will still be all of ours. You'll be like an uncle to her."
"And I would far rather have it you, than Annis," Peter answered.
"Thank you," Caleb responded and walked towards the door. But he turned back around. "Peter?"
"Hmm?" Peter looked up again.
"Can I ask you one more thing?"
One Week Later…
"Mail call!" Edmund announced, walking into the living room where Caleb and Kelly were playing with Aleena. Jake and Lucy looked up from their game of chess.
"Anything for me, Ed?" Lucy questioned. Edmund scanned the pile.
"Nope, sorry, Lu." He looked through the letters again. "But there is one for Caleb." Caleb jumped up, leaving a sad-looking Aleena behind.
"Leena!" Edmund sat on the floor next to her while Caleb ripped open his letter.
"Eda!" Aleena climbed into his lap.
"I'm afraid Leena will never like me as much as she likes you and Caleb," Kelly sighed.
"Me too," Lucy agreed. "How come she likes the boys better? We're just as fun!"
"Really," Jake snorted. "Just as fun? Is that true, Edmund?"
"Nah," Edmund answered. "Boys are way better."
"Edmund Pevensie." Lucy put her hands on her hips and acted like Susan. "We are not getting into that discussion. You all know who really is smarter." Edmund and Jake made faces at the girls. Caleb was scanning his letter, a smile spreading across his face. Finally, he let out a whoop and scooped Aleena up from the indignant Just King.
"Come on, Leena!" Caleb exclaimed. "Let's go find your new big sister!"
"What?" Kelly, Jake, Lucy and Edmund all asked. But Caleb and Aleena were already out the door and gone.
When the door flew open and Caleb and Aleena barged in, Heather was so surprised she fell off her chair.
"What in Narni-?" she began but then stopped, staring at Caleb's glowing face.
"I have the best news ever!" he practically shouted, giving her an enormous hug.
"Caleb, are you okay?" she gasped, squirming away from him. "What happened? Why are you acting like this?" Silently, Aleena come to stand beside Heather, who was still staring at Caleb. "You've scared Leena," Heather scolded, picking the little girl up.
"Aren't you happy?" Caleb asked in surprise.
"Happy for what?" Heather wondered. "You never told me what the good news was!"
"Sorry," Caleb apologized. "Oh, this is the best day ever!"
"Why are you smiling like an idiot?" Heather questioned.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked.
No reply.
"You're scaring me, you know."
Nothing but the hard stare.
"What?" he burst out.
"Aren't you going to tell me the good news that you are so excited about?" she reminded.
"Sure," he replied. "You just had to ask." Heather rolled her eyes. Caleb was so excited that he was a little forgetful. But then, forgetfulness ran in his family.
"I have a new sister!" Caleb announced. Heather looked from Caleb's face to Aleena's and back again.
"Aleena?" she asked incredulously.
"Yep," Caleb nodded happily. "But that's not all. I actually I am getting three new sisters; that is, if you agree."
"What? Caleb, I-"
"Wait." He cut her off. "Let me explain better. It really makes it easier for the author to write about us if we don't have this awkward relationship where we are a family but are technically not siblings (well, Jake and I are). It's just weird. I could marry-"
Author interrupts: Woah, there, Caleb! Yes, I know it's awkward and I know how you feel about that. No, you don't have to marry her; that's just plain weird. Did I already say it was weird? Oh well. It's weird. Kelly and Jake however-
Jake and Kelly: Ahem.
Author: Okay, we'll skip that for now. (But you're so cute together!)
Jake: Yuck.
Author: Never mind. I confess, it does make it a little easier to write but, hey, it's interesting. We are giving the story a unique twist. I've never read a book where two characters decided to become adopted brother and sister on the spur of the moment to be nice to the author. Hmm, that would be nice.
Caleb: In your dreams.
Author: Hey, I know where you live. And I could kill you if I felt like it. But you would probably enjoy that, so I won't. I should make you stay home and be boring instead. But that ruins the effect of the story.
Caleb: You, right now, are ruining the effect of the story. I was about to sweep her off her feet and-
Author: Dump her into the castle moat?
Caleb: You are so annoying sometimes.
Author: Thanks, I know. You can be annoying too. You kept me up half the night last night because I was trying to figure out what was wrong with you and-
Caleb: You're still ruining the effect of the story.
Author: I see. You're right. Okay, folks, back to the story! I hope you enjoyed our squabble. Now, we must journey back to Narnia. No pushing, no shoving, and please have your passports ready, so come right this way…
Caleb stared up at the bookshelves that towered over him in the dark library. He blinked rapidly, struggling to keep awake. He was awake because of a dream; a very strange dream. What had Aslan been trying to tell him? There was some riddle about a beam of moonlight that fell upon a certain book. Caleb tried to remember his dream.
"Come, Son of Adam." He heard Aslan calling him. Caleb silently followed the Great Lion through the halls into the massive library. "I have much to show you." Aslan told the young knight. They stood side by side for a moment. Aslan looked to the dark window as a beam of light streamed in and fell in the shape of a cross on one of the bookshelves.
"There you will find a scroll," Aslan instructed. "Read and follow its directions. Wherever you go, I will be there. Even across land and sea, my right hand will hold you fast."
"But how, Aslan?" Caleb asked.
"I will bring about what I have said," replied the Lion. "And I will complete all that I have planned." So, Caleb went forth and drew from the shelf a scroll. He brought it to Aslan and stood before him. Aslan breathed on the scroll and it unfolded to reveal a map.
The map swirled and an image of early Narnia filled it. A lion-hilted sword was brought before Aslan. He blew gently on it.
"This sword and seven others will protect the tree and Narnia from Jadis until the tree dies," Aslan instructed. The sword buried its point in the ground, next to the sapling tree. Seven other swords immediately sprang up around it, forming a circle. Aslan named each one, beginning with the center and continuing clockwise around the circle.
"Rhindon," he called the first sword. "Stormbringer, Keirstrider, Falchion, Ahlstrom, Flamberge, Delvkanash and finally, Kolanthel. When all is set right, after Jadis, the knights who will wield these swords to protect their families, their country and their faith shall be dangerous indeed."
As the years on the map passed, the tree in the center of the circle began to grow, supported by the first sword. Eventually, the tree grew so large it swallowed up the eight swords and they were buried in the sturdy wood. On the day Alannis cast her final spell, the tree died and Jadis arrived in Narnia. The eight swords were scattered throughout Narnia. The first sword, Rhindon, with the lion hilt, was kept in safety by Father Christmas until it was given to Peter, the future High King of Narnia. Two swords were hidden deep in a dragon's lair while four more of the swords were hidden in secret locations. But one was left in the castle, Cair Paravel. On the day he was knighted, Caleb received the special sword, Keirstrider, as a reward for his bravery and service to Narnia.
"Remember these things, Caleb," Aslan said, looking up from the history unfolded before them. "For I give you a noble burden and a worthy cause. Find the six brother swords, for without them Narnia will fall. The journey will not be easy but you will come out better in the end for it. Several of the knights will accompany you, but I will be there, even when they fall back. I will lead you by day with a pillar of cloud and by night with a pillar of fire. I will lead you down paths of righteousness to springs of living water for I am he who was, who is and who is yet to come."
"Let it happen to me according to your will," Caleb responded faithfully.
Aslan's parting words were, "Be on guard. Stand true to what you believe. Be courageous; be strong."
Caleb woke from his revelry with a start. The moon had been steadily creeping through the midnight sky. Now it hung in the sky and illuminated the land brightly. It shone through the divided window and cast a cross-shaped shadow on the bookshelf. Caleb rose to his feet. He walked forward and reached for where the scroll from his dream had rested.
"Well done," the Voice said behind him.
"A-Aslan, sir," Caleb stuttered in surprise upon turning and finding the Lion standing there.
"You have not listened to your fears," Aslan replied. "No, instead you held fast to what you knew was true."
"Thank you, sir," Caleb responded.
"Are you ready for your journey?" the Lion questioned.
"No," Caleb answered truthfully. "But if you are ready to lead, then I am ready to follow."
"Come, Son of Adam," Aslan instructed. Caleb slowly came forward and knelt before the Lion. Aslan placed his heavy paw on Caleb's shoulder. "Be brave, child. Remember, I am with you always, even to the end of the world."
Author's note: Tadah! Well, the part where Caleb and the author (me!) were arguing was totally RANDOM, I know. I really like the last part though. Spripture and memory verses were popping into my head like crazy! My favorite thing that Caleb says is: "Let it happen to me according to your will." That was inspired by Mary's (the mother of Jesus) response to the angel when he told her what would happen and she would be the mother of the Messiah.
